According to a circular issued by the Idukki District Police Chief, migrant labourers in the district will now be under CCTV surveillance in the labour camps in which they live.

In a meeting convened by the police with around 75 agents, contractors and company owners on Monday, DCP AV George issued a circular, which mandated registration of all migrant labourers and the monitoring of their activities through CCTV surveillance.

The circular also states that workers must provide a Police Clearance Certificate (PCC) when they switch jobs, which will indicate that they are not involved in any illegal activities. The district police have mandated that all these procedures be completed within a period of 45 days. 

Kerala’s Labour Commissioner K Biju refused to comment on the decisions announced in the circular, but maintained that this move by the police does not reflect government policy towards migrant labourers.

“Government policy will be outlined by the Labour Minister and not by police officials,” he said.

Though activists commend the decision of the police to initiate registration of labourers, they are unhappy with the move to install CCTV cameras, which they say is a gross violation of human rights.

Activist and social science researcher TK Anandi says that installing cameras at labour camps will bring further scrutiny on the already exploited migrant labourers in Kerala. 

"That is an outright violation of their rights. The move is also dangerous because it reflects our attitude towards migrant labourers. It is true that the accused in many cases including that of Jisha’s murder turned out to be migrant labourers. But that cannot justify our mentality towards them that all the migrants are criminals," Anandi says. 

Pointing out that Kerala itself has a major percentage of its population residing in other countries as migrants, she says that the state must reciprocate what it demands from other countries. 

"Workers from Kerala are forever demanding good working conditions in other countries. Why is it that our own government fails to provide the same to migrants in Kerala?" she asks. 

Thus far, the district police has not maintained a database on the numbers and profiles of migrant labourers in the district. 

Idukki Special Branch DySP V Saji, who also took part in the meeting, says that the regulations have been formulated in the interest of the agents/contractors/company owners for whom the migrant labourers work.

“The suggestion to install CCTV cameras came from the agents themselves. In a scenario where a migrant labourer is involved in a criminal activity, it is often noted that the agents or contractors are not aware of their whereabouts,” he says.  

Implementing these regulations will make the cumbersome process of identifying and checking the background of migrant labourers involved in criminal activity easier, the DySP says.

Failing to get migrant labourers registered is a bigger offense than not installing the cameras, for which agents or contractors can be brought to book, the DySP adds. Saying that the move will not violate the privacy of labourers as cameras will only be installed in corridors and entrances, the DySP says that it is up to the agents or contractors to decide where they want the cameras to be installed.

Activists allege that while these regulations provide contractors and agents the means to safeguard themselves from liability for labourers, their own failure to provide proper living and working conditions to them remains unchecked.

Anandi says, "A research study I conducted a few years ago revealed that the workers were in fact exploited by the agents. Their poor living conditions have also been brought to the government's notice many a time."

The State Human Rights Commission is yet to intervene in the issue. Secretary of the Commission, Kumari Sudha, admits that installing CCTV cameras will be a violation of human rights, but says that the commission can intervene only when a complaint is filed.

In a statement released to the media on Tuesday, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan hailed Soumya - who was raped and killed in February 2011- as a daughter of the state and asserted that the government would do everything possible to ensure that she received justice.

The Chief Minister was visiting Sumathi, Soumya’s mother, in the wake of the Supreme Court order commuting Soumya’s rapist Govindachamy’s death sentence to life imprisonment.

Pinarayi stated that such incidents should not be allowed to recur and that the LDF government had put necessary measures in place to prevent similar crimes.

The Chief Minister was accompanied by several cabinet colleagues including J Mercykutty Amma and KT Jaleel ,as well as MLA PK Sasi and state DGP Loknath Behera.

Twenty-three-year-old Soumya – who worked as a salesgirl – was returning home by the Ernakulam-Shoranur passenger train on February 1, 2011. 

One-handed Govindachamy entered the ladies’ compartment where she was, and robbed and attacked her. Soumya’s body was later found in the forests near the Vallathol railway station.

The prosecution’s case was that Govindachamy pushed her off the train, took her to the wooded area, and then raped and murdered her.

Govindachamy, then 30, was convicted of rape and murder on October 31, 2011, and sentenced in November by a Thrissur fast-track court. 

The court ruled that the case was fit to be called as the rarest of rare and pronounced capital punishment. The Kerala High Court subsequently upheld the death sentence to Govindachamy.

The Supreme Court, however, held that the prosecution could not prove whether Govindachamy had pushed Soumya off the train or if she fell off. Hence, it held that he was not guilty of murder, and his sentence was commuted to life imprisonment.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday wrote to Union External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj asking the Centre to intervene to help Malayalis stranded in Riyadh return home.

These workers from Kerala had been flown in from Dubai by Saudi King Abdullah himself to work on the Economic City Project in Riyadh.

However, they have not received their salaries for over a year and complaints filed in this regard with the Indian Embassy in Saudi Arabia are yet to yield any results, says the letter.

Their Ikaama (residence-permits) too have not been renewed since August this year, thereby stranding them at the labour camp, where living conditions are horrible with poorly ventilated rooms and insufficient food and water, says the letter.

The parent company that hired these workers has also apparently refused to pay the rent, and hence these workers are also under threat of forced evacuation from the labour-camp, it adds.

In the light of these dire circumstances, the Kerala Chief Minister has asked for the Centre’s emergency intervention in the matter so that these stranded workers can return to Kerala at the earliest.

Political leaders in Kerala seem to have been bitten by the Facebook bug since the time of the Assembly elections.

With ministers in the current government taking to Facebook to inform the public about ministerial decisions and policies, opposition leaders too, followed suit.

On Tuesday, opposition leader Ramesh Chennitha took to Facebook asking users to send him questions about problems they face. These questions will be addressed in the next Assembly session beginning on September 26, he promised.

“You can tell us what issues the opposition must raise in the assembly. It could be anything from a burning issue in your locality to something that affects the entire state. Your opinions and feedback is valuable to us. We are confident that you will cooperate with this initiative that is aimed at making the affairs of the assembly accessible to all and in the betterment of the state,” Chennithala wrote.

Chennithala also wrote that the government’s responses would, in turn, be posted on Facebook for the public’s knowledge.

Many users did participate in the initiative, posted on a variety of problems in the comment section. Their issues ranged from the stray dog problem to political violence to unemployment to the government’s stand on the liquor policy. 

However, a major portion of comments turned out to be criticisms of the UDF itself. 

Many users commented on the timing of the post, accusing the UDF of not spearheading a similar initiative while they were in power.

 “UPA ruled for 10 years. Out of this, Oommen Chandy was in power for 5 years in Kerala. How can Chennithala do things that he wasn’t able to do all these years?” one user asked.

 Another user commented on the lack of enthusiasm from Chennithala when questions turned against the UDF,  writing, 

“Now that you have decided to do this, why not ask the Vigilance to conduct enquiry against Benny Behnan (a Congress leader) and not just K Babu?”

Another user couldn’t believe that the Opposition leader could “stoop so slow.”

“You did take up a lot of initiatives while in power. Kindly fulfill them first. You didn’t do anything while in power, what wonders will you show sitting in the opposition?” the user wanted to know.

An Indian Union Muslim league (IUML) leader is being trolled on social media for taking a selfie from the tomb of his co-worker Aslam who was murdered in August in Nadapuram of Kozhikode district.

Badru Kaithapoyil, a local IUML leader last week posted a selfie of him along with four other party workers from the grave of Aslam and another IUML martyr Nasrudheen.

Since then, he has been criticised by many IUML workers and others for being insensitive. The trolls also alleged that he has done this to get more reach for his FB page.

Though he withdrew the photograph from his FB page, the criticism continued.

However, reacting to the controversy, Badru said that the criticism against him was propaganda by rival political parties.

“The controversy was initiated by the workers of the party of Kanthapuram, SDPI and CPI (M). It was also painful that some of the IUML workers also joined them to criticise me. The rival parties aim was to attack IUML. I did not do that to get reach. I understood that my sharp words are making my rivals restless,” he said.

He also said that he posted the photograph to remind everyone about the brutal murder, so that nobody should forget about it.

“You can’t stop me from my actions. I will continue this. But if my selfie or my words have hurt any IUML workers I apologise for that,” he said.

The murder of Aslam, 20, created a huge controversy as it closely resembled the infamous killing of Revolutionary Marxist Party (RMP) leader TP Chandrashekharan.

Similar to TP who had 52 stab wounds on his body, Aslam’s body had 67 stab wounds, including 13 on his face and his hands were also chopped off.

In a shocking incident, a rape attempt was made on a 90-year-old widow, who is a cancer patient, in Kadakkal area of Kollam district. Her neighbour, who was armed with a knife, was the alleged culprit, police said on Wednesday.

The woman gave a statement to the police in which she accused her neighbour Babu for the incident.

"The accused entered my house through the back door. This can be done only by someone who knows the house well," she said. 

"I pleaded with him not to harm me but he did not listen... I want the police to arrest the accused," she said.

The incident took place on the midnight of September 13, but came to light only on Wednesday. The victim’s relatives were not ready to give her proper treatment or legal assistance.

Kollam Rural Superintendent of Police Ajitha Begum told the media that police officials had taken the victim's statement.

"An FIR has been registered. We will probe the incident by speaking to her relatives and those who met her after the incident," said Begum.

The victim was living alone in the house after her husband’s death 20 years ago.

After the execution of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru in 2013, the CPI (M) came down heavily on the UPA government, taking a clear stand on death penalty, calling it “inhuman.”

The party’s position was no different when 1993 Mumbai blast convict Yakub Memon was hanged in 2015.

Now, a year later Left parties appear to be caught in an ideological conflict after the Supreme Court commuted the death sentence of Govindachamy to life imprisonment in the sensational Soumya case in Kerala.

While refuting allegations that the prosecution had failed to prove murder charges against the convict, Kerala Law Minister and CPI (M) Central Committee Member A K Balan declared that state would file a review petition seeking maximum punishment under section 302.

Not only must justice be done, it must also be seen to be done, which translates to awarding capital punishment for Govindachamy in this case.

While Balan’s declaration follows public outrage over the apex court’s verdict, the minister’s statement contradicts the party’s views on the death sentence.  

Responding to the issue, CPI (M) Polit Bureau Member MA Baby opposed the move calling capital punishment as “highly primitive that must be done away with.”

“This is not a specific stance for Govindachami alone. We would have held the same view even if Nathuram Vinayak Godse, who killed Mahatma Gandhi, was on trial today,” The New Indian Express quoted him as saying.

Party veteran VS Achuthanandan’s stand was no different.

CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat had in 2013, called death penalty inhuman saying,

“Instead of capital punishment, the party wants that in rarest of the rare cases and most heinous crimes, life imprisonment should be extended for the entire life of the person convicted with no scope for remission."

The CPI (M) statement after the hanging of Yakub Memon said that death sentence alone will not serve the interests of justice, noting "Even those convicted in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case with the death sentence have had their sentences commuted to life.”

But unlike other cases, the CPI(M)-led LDF government in Kerala has not found it easy to denounce death penalty for Govindachamy.

Though party veterans including MA Baby and VS Achuthanandan spoke against awarding death penalty, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s calculated silence over death penalty is an indication of the conflict the Left is facing.

Meeting Soumya’s mother Sumathi on Tuesday, Pinarayi assured her that justice will be served to Soumya. And if this re-assurance was not enough, Pinarayi went on to call Soumya “Kerala’s daughter.”

Other CPI (M) leaders in the state too, are cautious over the issue.

  Former CPI state secretary Pannyan Raveendran told The News Minute that the party takes a stand on death penalty on a case-to-case basis.

“Soumya’s was one of the most brutal crimes the state witnessed. The sanctity of capital punishment should be discussed at a different level.  But here the party is with people’s emotions,” he said.

CPI (M) Polit Bureau member S Ramachandran Pillai told The News Minute that the Kerala government’s decision to file a review petition in Soumya case should be seen strictly as an attempt to charge Govindachamy for murder.

 “As a party, we have been demanding that the provision of death penalty be made illegal. However, as far as the Kerala government is concerned, it can only act within the laws prescribed by the land,” Ramachandran explained.

The leader, however, was elusive when asked if ministers of the LDF government seen demanding death sentence for Govindachamy was against the party ideology.

He said, “At this point, the government has demanded the inclusion of murder charges in the case. Whether the government will comply to death penalty if it is so awarded to the convict, will be decided only at a later stage. CPI (M) stand on the issue will also be based on the verdict,” he said.

Reiterating that the CPI (M) is ideologically against awarding death penalty, Ramachandran emphasised that the party’s stand and the Kerala government’s stand should not be read together. 

“The UPA government has responded to the vociferous demand raised by the BJP and Narendra Modi that Afzal Guru should be hanged,” a CPI (M) statement in 2013 reads. 

It remains to be seen how the LDF government will respond to the ideological conflict, given the public sentiment against Govindachamy in the state. 

Three days after “JB Junction”, a Malayalam television show courted controversy for airing a Kerala man’s poem, Kairali TV’s Managing Editor John Brittas took to Facebook to provide an explanation.

In an episode that aired on Saturday, Brittas, the host of the show interviewed Sam Mathew AD and Pratheeksha Sivadas, who had come forward claiming ownership of a poem titled “Saghavu” (Comrade.)

In the Brittas interview, Sam reiterated that it was not the first time that he had written in the female voice and quoted from one of his other poems ‘Padarppu’ (Spread) that spoke about how a rape victim falls in love with her rapist.

The poem describes how the victim -moved by love- refuses to reveal her attacker’s identity, despite the fact that he preyed on her out of sheer lust.

Read: Controversy rages after talk show airs Kerala man's poem on woman’s love for her rapist

In his Facebook post on Wednesday, Brittas distanced himself from the content of the poem saying that he does not in any way advocate misogynist content.

Saying that he has never been anti-women in his journalistic career spanning more than two decades, he said that he has always been against atrocities against women.

“The guests who attend JB Junction come from varied backgrounds, and some of their views may not be in compliance with my personal views. But, we have always made it a point to give them space. Just because I do not agree with what they say in the show, that portion cannot be edited out,” Brittas wrote.

He then elaborated on the situation that lead to Sam Mathew reciting the poem.

“To the question whether he had indeed penned the poem ‘Saghavu’, for it was written in a female voice, Sam went on to recite this poem that he had written in a female voice years ago,” Brittas said.

Brittas clarified that he had given only enough encouragement for the act of reciting a poem and that he did not encourage the content of the poem in any manner.

“I am only the host of the show. I do not interfere in the process of editing of the show. But it is not right for people to respond on the lines that I should have ripped him apart (physically) for it,” Brittas said.

Brittas went on to write that social media critics who are bashing him for airing the poem, have always been criticizing him because of his political affiliations.

Brittas also wrote that “JB Junction” was a purely entertainment show that also discusses various facets of a person’s life.

He also said that the episode will be telecasted once again on Sunday. 

It was in mid-2013 that the Union government sanctioned Rs 67.32 crores to make Kochi a slum-free city. Slums per se are not a common sight in Kerala, but Kochi has around 250 small slums, as per the data from the Corporation.

Central funds for the project were released under the Rajiv Awas Yojana (RAY) scheme in early 2014 and handed over to the local administration for the rehabilitation of slum dwellers at Kalvathy, Thuruthy and Koncheri areas in Fort Kochi.

But these ‘homeless’ folks  continue to wait even today even after two and a half years since the funds were released. The site identified for the said project is being used as a playground by local children. Not even a foundation stone has been laid till date.

A lane in Thuruthy

As per the proposed project plan, a total of 755 families residing in the three identified slum areas would benefit from the scheme. The first phase of project was planned as a double-storey building for six families, flats for 398 families, and the renovation of houses of 88 families.

“During the last assembly election campaign, the previous UDF government had allotted some funds for renovation to some of the families. But that was done primarily with an eye on the elections,” says Zakeenath -one of the residents of the Thuruthy slum- while speaking to The News Minute.

“The majority of families who live here have no house of their own. They are forced to shell out exorbitant rents for even a tiny room or two they call home. Almost all of them are listed in the RAY scheme. What makes the whole thing a farce is that the flat numbers have already been allotted to them, even before the foundation stone for the project has been laid!,” she remarks.

These slum areas fall under the Kalvathy ward of the Cochin Municipal Corporation. Zeenath Mustafa -the area ward member- attributes the delay in the use of funds for the same to some unforeseen technicalities that have cropped up along the way.

“The Corporation is in possession of the funds released by the Centre. Work will soon begin. The delay was due to technical reasons. What with elections and some issues with the tenders etc…” she explains.

According to the Kochi Mayor, the work has already begun.

“We have already started the work. Renovation of the houses too was a part of the RAY project. We will soon begin the construction of the flats. Funds have not been misused in any way,” Kochi Mayor Soumini Jain reiterates.

But the authorities were not able to come up with a convincing explanation as to why the funds were not utilized all this while.

A lane from Kalvathy

Most of the residents of these slums are daily wage earners and fishmongers. They eke out a shabby existence on the banks of a drainage canal in extremely unhygienic conditions.

“Malaria, dengue, diarrhea and viral fever are very common here. A huge amount has been released for our rehabilitation and we still continue to stay here,” rues Sheeba, a resident of the Kalvathy slum.

A Corporation official when contacted -on conditions of anonymity- termed the proposal to build flats as impractical due to increased maintenance expenditure and several other technical issues.

“Instead of trying to build flats, it is always better to distribute the allotted money to the families and let them build a house of their own. As per the proposal, each apartment in the building would be around 300 square feet, a size that would prove too congested for a family,” the official opined.

The site to build flats under RAY project

The supposed beneficiaries are however worried that the funds could lapse before they enjoy its benefits. When asked whether there was a time-frame specified for the completion of the project by the Centre, Corporation officials doggedly refused to either confirm or deny the same.

“If they are unable to build new apartments or flats for us, they can at least distribute the money to us so that we ourselves could find a better place to stay,” feels Thoufeeq Rahman, a resident of Koncheri.

Sasikala Teacher is not one known to mince her words. While other BJP and, Sangh parivar leaders in the state may gulp down a few controversial comments out of the need to be 'diplomatic', Sasikala Teacher, the firebrand Hindu Aikyavedi leader from Kerala sees no such need.

She has been in the eye of various storms after calling Muslims ‘cross-breeds’ and slamming singer Yesudas’ dream to enter the Guruvayurappan temple (since he is a Christian).

When the RSS magazine Kesari questioned the Kerala version of festival Onam and said that Onam was a celebration of ‘Vamana Jayanthi’ and was not about Mahabali, Sasikala Teacher agreed and went a step further, saying Onam was an attempt to tarnish the image of Vishnu.

Now Sasikala Teacher is at it again. The myth that has come under her radar this time is the tale of Lord Ayyappa and his Muslim friend Vavar.

Most Ayyappa devotees visit a mosque in the name of Vavar or Vavarswami at Erumali at the foot of the Sabarimala hill before they begin the ascent to the Sabarimala Ayyappan temple.

In an interview to Asianet’s “Point Blank” Sasikala Teacher said that ‘they’ have never believed the tale of Ayyappan and Vavar’s friendship. Even if they were friends, she asserted, it was unlikely that Vavar was a Muslim.

There are various legends about Vavar, including that he had migrated from Arabia and was defeated by Ayyappa in a battle. Some tales call him a Muslim invader who had come to Pandalam (the kingdom of Ayyappa’s father), while others say that he may have come from the Pandya kingdom.

All the legends however underscore the point that the two had been friends.

Sasikala Teacher’s comment has come under criticism from Rahul Eashwar, a member of the Sabarimala tantric family.

He wrote in a recent Facebook post that Ayyappa-Vavar relationship was a shining example of India’s culture.

He repeats the myth, and says it was true, that Ayyappan and Vavar were close friends and the Vavar Sanctorum in Sabarimala has no idol as Muslims don’t believe in idol worship.

"Like Manikandan (lord Ayyappa), Vavar was also a historic figure. Government documents, court documents, historical evidences of Erumeli and the festival conducted jointly by Erumeli Masjid and Sabarimala temple are evidences to prove Vavar's historical existence," Rahul Easwar said.

He also added that Vavar was the son of Fathima and Saidali, and, in 1950, the then Sabarimala Thanthri Kantararu Shankarar had confirmed that Vavar was a Muslim.

Rahul also reminded Sasikala Teacher that Hindu unity cannot be achieved by invoking hatred towards Muslims or people belonging to any other religions.  

In another note, written by Easwar for Reporter TV, he claims that Ayyappa himself had urged his devotees to first worship at Vavar mosque and later come to Sabarimala.

“Teacher I respect you. But If I don’t say this now, how will I face lord Ayyappa when I meet him next,” he ends the note.

Days after terrorists attacked an army camp in Uri in Jammu and Kashmir and killed 18 Indian soldiers, Malayalam actor Mohanlal said terrorist activities are nothing but shameful acts.

In a blogpost on Wednesday titled "Amar Jawan, Amar Bharat," the actor, who is also a lieutenant colonel with the territorial army, wrote that Pakistan had yet again attacked India without shame.

“The use of the word shame is deliberate, because terrorist activities are nothing but shameful,” Mohanlal wrote in Malayalam.

Quoting from the Vyasa Mahabharata, he said that attacking soldiers who were asleep was the highest level of cowardice.

“The Uri attack has proved it. It also proves that terrorists can attack India only when it is sleeping. The fact that the rest of the world will bow down if India wakes up (decides to retaliate) is history,” he added.

Emphasising that he was by no means a warmonger, the actor said that he does not desire to witness war outside of films.

“I am also aware of the consequences of war. But I am not so against war, that I will tolerate the enemy’s weapons killing our soldiers. To prevent and retaliate against attacks is part of a country’s agenda, one that has a strong military force,” Mohanlal wrote.

Slipping into a tone of sorrow, the actor said that he could imagine the dreams the martyred soldiers might have had, and their family’s sorrow.

As a lieutenant colonel with the territorial army, he said, he has been witness to the challenging circumstances in which the soldiers on the border live.

“The Indian army guards the territory despite trying circumstances only to safeguard our lives. I know that there are armchair intellectuals who argue that these soldiers are paid for what they do. I welcome such people to go spend at least an hour at the border, where one can stare death in its eyes,” Mohanlal said.

We should realize that an enemy is an enemy, no matter what. In unison, let’s say, “Amar Jawan, Amar Bharat.”

On Thursday, famous Indian Carnatic musician and legendary playback singer Dr. KJ Yesudas rendered the song ‘Harivaraasanam’ in person to rock Lord Ayyappa to sleep at the Sopaanam at Sabarimala in Kerala.

The singer was visiting the shrine on the last day of the Onam and Kanni celebrations at the famed pilgrim centre. As per the request of the Devaswom Board, Yesudas led his fellow pilgrims in song, as he rocked the presiding deity to sleep at the end of the temple rituals.

The lyrics of this Sanskrit Hindu devotional song called ‘Hariharasudhastakam’ was composed in 1950 by Kumbakudi Kulathur Iyer. Known as the ‘Urakka Pattu’ (lullaby), the hymn has been rendered by many singers over the years.

But the most popular version is the one rendered by Yesudas himself and set to the tune composed by the late music director G Devarajan. 

Its soaring popularity can be gauged by the fact that it is this version that is played for devotees below the Sannidhanam (Sanctum Sanctorum) just prior to the closing of the temple doors at night for the past many years.

Legend goes that in the 1960s or 70s, an ardent Ayyappa devotee VR Gopala Menon used to recite Harivaraasanam with utmost devotion, as he chose to reside at the Sannidhanam even when the temple was closed.

On hearing about Menon’s demise, the then Mel Santhi (chief priest) Thirumeni Eashwaran Nampoothiri sang the song in his memory, just as he was about to shut the temple doors for the day.

That marked the beginning of a ‘nostalgic’ tradition that has remained in place till date. While the priest sings the song (in a different tune) to Ayyappan, devotees listen to Yesudas’ version.

Though Yesudas has vistied Sabarimala in the past, this is the first time he sang before the deity.

Kerala BJP unit has declared that the party is not against women’s entry in Sabarimala, but they are not happy with political parties interfering on the issue.

The party said that it should be discussed and decided by religious heads and temple authorities.

BJP spokesperson J Padmakumar told The Times of India: “Whether women of all ages can enter the temple is not for political parties to decide. It is a decision that the temple authorities and the tantri have to take. But we are not against entry of women in temples.”

Though the BJP leadership had reacted negatively to a Facebook post by BJP state general secretary K Surendran two weeks ago, supporting entry of women, it seems to have come around now.  

“There is no need to create a controversy on whether women should or should not enter Sabarimala. The tantris, temple authorities and religious experts should discuss the issue and explain the decision to the people. Only after that, there should be a political discussion, if any,“ BJP's national executive committee member Sobha Surendran told ToI.

“The tantris and temple authorities should explain to the people why women in the age group of 10 to 50 years have not been allowed to enter Sabarimala,“ she said.

The ToI report by Preetu Nair also says that Bhumata Brigade has decided to visit Sabarimala in October, demanding entry for women of all ages. The Brigade Chief Trupti Desai had reportedly sought an appointment with Travancore Devasom Board (TDB).

Transgender activists in Thiruvananthapuram held a protest march on Thursday to the Fire magazine office at Kumarapuram, objecting to a derogatory article about the community.

The article was published by the magazine under the title ‘Male prostitutes of Kochi’.

They were also unhappy with photographs of a few transgender community members that were taken without permission.

The protestors burnt a few magazines in front of the office.

Transgender activist and TV artiste Surya filed a police complaint against the magazine.

The activists said that while most of them are earning a living by doing TV comedy programs, modelling, taking dance classes and other self-employment, such a headline and use of derogatory content with pictures would harm their dignity.

“Who shall bear responsibility for the sorrows faced by the families of our friends, when such muddy write-ups quoting the surging sex racket in Kochi and immigration of TGs from neighboring states? We Ought to Protest!” LGBT rights activist Jijo Kuriakose said.

The article was published in the 412th edition of the publication that hit the stands on Monday. It used many pictures of transgender persons including Surya’s, without their knowledge.

In a press meet conducted in Thiruvananthapuram, Surya said the article harmed her dignity. She said already people in the society and family are reluctant to accept her and now things are even worse.

As local body members in Kerala saw themselves at the receiving end of ire over the alarming rise in stray dog menace, many panchayats in the state resorted to mass killing of these strays. 

Sick of the increasing hatred directed against stray dogs in Kerala, a couple from Ernakulam has now come forward to help the Tripunithura Municipality tackle the problem effectively. 

Johny Vendrappillil and his wife Reena -residents of Trupunithura in Ernakulam- submitted a proposal to the Municipality on 19 September, offering to coordinate with them in curtailing the number of stray dogs in their locality. 

They propose to sterilize these strays within the next four months, well before the next mating season begins.

In their 1.5 acre animal farm in Tripunithura, a major part of the area is occupied by stray dogs. The couple has been operating the farm since sixteen years. At any given point in time, the farm takes care of at least 25 dogs, shares Reena with The News Minute.

The injured dogs among them are given proper medical treatment, and they are then put up for adoption.

The local authorities as well as the public have pointed fingers at poor waste management policies in place as the root cause of this societal menace. 

However, Reena and Johny disagree. "It has nothing to do with waste management. People simply lack compassion and the knowledge to identify the real cause of the trouble," says Reena. 

Johny and Reena are also willing to offer additional facilities including arranging for doctors and dog -to assist the Municipality in the sterilization procedures.

These four months are crucial, Reena points out. It is during the months of August and September that stray dog bites are at its peak.

Though Tripunithura Municipality Chairperson Chandrika Devi welcomed the couple's offer to help, the duo is yet to hear from the authorities. 

"As far as most panchayat and municipal authorities are concerned, none of them are looking for a permanent solution to the problem. All they seek to do is try and appease the raging masses as of now. That is exactly why many including social worker Jose Maveli support mass killing of stray dogs. And the public in turn view them as saviours. That is such a wrong thing to do," Reena avers. 

Johny and Reena are confident that their expertise in rehabilitating hundreds of dogs over the years will stand them in good stead in this initiative too. But are the authorities listening?

A water sports lover in Kerala is taking his passion to the next level as he is now aiming to spread awareness by initiating a river cleaning drive.

Starting from Friday for the next three days, 44-year-old Kaushiq Kodithodi, along with a 60-member team in 50 kayaks, will clean up the Chaliyar river covering an area of 68 kms.

Kodithodi, who works at a software firm in Dubai, opened the Jellyfish Water Sports Club in Kozhikode, his hometown, along with his wife four years ago.

"To start with, we bought a few kayaks and began to train interested people in this sporting event and now we own 50 kayaks. We hold weekly classes besides camps during holidays to enable children to take part," said Kodithodi.

The concept of cleaning rivers arose after finding heaps of garbage in the Chaliyar during one of his kayaking trips.

"We decided to set up a separate entity solely meant for this and we named it the 'Clean Rivers Initiative Trust' and today (Friday) we will begin our clean up of Chaliyar. We will start from Nilambur in Malappuram district and travel 8 kms and in the next two days 30 kms each and it will end when we reach Beypore in Kozhikode district, where the river meets with the Arabian sea," said Kodithodi.

"At the end of our cleaning drive, we expect to collect about 1,000 kgs of waste from the river, which would be sent for recycling," he added.

When the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) National meet commences in Kozhikode on Fridayevening, the Bharath Dharma Jana Sena (BDJS) -one of its important allies in Kerala- has expressed concerns over its sidelining, alleging that the BJP has not kept its promises made at the time of coalition.

BDJS leader and Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam (SNDP) general secretary Vellapally Natesan on Friday told the media that BJP is yet to fulfill its promises, and that such procrastination has begun to worry the BDJS party workers.

“Group clashes within the BJP could be the reason for sidelining us. They have not kept any of their promises which were mutually agreed upon. The leaders who are supposed to execute the same seem to be doing nothing, both at the state and central levels. No important positions were assigned to BDJS leaders,” Natesan alleged.

Though Natesan was unwilling to reveal the exact nature of the pre-poll promises made by the BJP, he reiterated that none of them were fulfilled by the saffron party.

Earlier there were reports that Tushar Vellapally -BDJS state president and Natesan’s son- was offered Rajya Sabha membership post the assembly polls. It was also reported that certain important appointments on Central Government Boards and Corporations were offered to the party which is backed by SNDP, the largest Ezhava (a Hindu sub-caste) organisation in Kerala.

While Vellapally accused the BJP of indulging in false promises, his son and BDJS head Tushar categorically denied any chance of a probable split in the political alliance.

Speaking to reporters on the issue, Tushar clarified that there are no issues of conflict between the BDJS and BJP.

“Granting various posts to the BDJS is being delayed due to technical reasons. Party workers were worried over the delay, but we expect it to soon come through,” he affirmed. Tushar attributed Natesan’s remarks as being the personal opinion of his father.

Kerala state BJP chief Kummanam Rajasekharan also confirmed to the media that there were absolutely no problems in the BJP-BDJS alliance. He also gave an assurance that the BDJS would soon be awarded with a few positions of importance.

The BDJS is also set to hold a meeting in Kozhikode on Friday to discuss about the supposed stand-off with the BJP central leadership.

It was in March 2016 that the BDJS and BJP sewed up an alliance to jointly take on the UDF and the LDF in the assembly polls held in May this year. The BDJS party was formed in December 2015.

The Kerala government on Friday filed a review petition with the Supreme Court in the infamous Soumya murder case, seeking capital punishment for the accused. 

The apex court had on September 15 commuted the death sentence of the convict Govindachamy awarded by the Kerala High court to life imprisonment.

The murder charge was dismissed by the Supreme Court citing lack of concrete evidence and life imprisonment was awarded based on charges of rape alone. The review petition was filed before a bench presided by Justice Ranjan Gogoi.

Sumathi –Soumya’s mother- too had filed a review petition before the court on Thursday seeking to reverse the life sentence handed to the convict to that of capital punishment.

Attorney General of India Mukul Rohatgi will reportedly appear for the state government when the review petition comes up for hearing before the Supreme Court. Reports say Rohtagi will request for an open hearing of the case.

Kerala Law Minister A K Balan had earlier met the Attorney General in Delhi and the latter had expressed his readiness to appear for the state. The affidavit filed by the government terms the Supreme Court verdict as a deeply flawed one.

In the review petition, the prosecution’s main argument would focus on the injuries found on Sowmya’s body that were caused by the convict and which led to her death.

This is to counter the observation made by the court which was not convinced that all the injuries found on the victim’s body were the handiwork of the convict, thereby finding him not guilty under IPC section 302(that deals with murder).

Twenty-three-year-old Soumya -who worked as a salesgirl- was returning home by the Ernakulam-Shoranur passenger train on February 1, 2011. 

One-handed Govindachamy -who routinely frequented trains to beg- entered the ladies’ compartment where she was, robbed and attacked her. A comatose Soumya was later found in the forests by the Railway police near the Vallathol railway station.

She later succumbed to her injuries at the Government Medical College in Thrissur on February 6, 2011.

The prosecution’s case was that Govindachamy pushed her off the train, took her to the wooded area, and then raped and murdered her.

Govindachamy, then 30, was convicted of rape and murder on October 31, 2011, and sentenced in November by a Thrissur fast-track court. 

The court ruled that the case was fit to be called as the rarest of rare and pronounced capital punishment. Subsequent appeals in the Kerala High Court also upheld that Govindachamy had raped and murdered her.

The Supreme Court, however, held that the prosecution could not prove whether Govindachamy had pushed her off the train or whether she fell off. 

Hence, it held that he was not guilty of murder, and his sentence was commuted to life sentence.

The infamous bar scam case of 2014 saw yet another twist to the tale on Friday, with a local court here ordering a preliminary probe into the role played by two Vigilance Department officials, who were part of the scam investigation.

Based on a petition filed by a social worker P. Nawaz, who saw a concerted move to thwart a free and fair probe into the scam, the Thiruvananthapuram Special Court ordered the Vigilance Director to submit a preliminary report within 45 days.

According to the petitioner, the two officials -- the then Director of Vigilance & DGP A.N. Shankar Reddy and SP & the Investigating Officer in the case R. Sukeshan -- wrongfully gave clean chit to the then Finance Minister K.M. Mani in the case.

Reacting to the court's directive, Reddy maintained that he had done nothing wrong and that he only ensured a fair probe as the head of Vigilance.

"The fact that my track record in the past three decades of handling various cases has even been lauded by the courts stands testimony to my actions, and I have done nothing wrong," Reddy told reporters here.

Reddy was shifted as the Director of Vigilance soon after the CPI(M)-led government assumed office in May this year.

Incidentally, this is the fourth time that a probe has been ordered into the bar scam case.

The case began in October 2014, when Biju Ramesh, a businessman owning a series of bars in the state capital, alleged that Mani had taken Rs 1 crore as bribe from Kerala's bar owners for allowing 418 closed bars in the state to reopen.

Following a massive protest by the CPI(M)-led Left opposition, Mani had to quit as minister last year, though he won a record 13th time from Pala assembly constituency in the May elections.

Former CPI-M Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan, who has been demanding Reddy's suspension from service, hailed the court order.

"Perhaps, this is the first time that a Vigilance chief is trying to thwart a vigilance probe," Achuthanandan said.

Hours after a global body of news publishers WAN-IFRA raised “regret” over the ban on media persons inside court premises in Kerala, the High Court administration denied that there was a ban in place.

In a letter sent to the Kerala High Court Chief Justice and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Friday, the organization demanded that the restrictions on media in covering court proceedings be lifted.

Pointing out that the organization was deeply concerned over the attacks on journalists, the organization appealed the chief justice to intervene in the matter.

“In any democratic country, especially India, an independent media plays a pivotal role in disseminating information to the public concerning the fair and impartial functioning of an independent judiciary . We are disturbed to learn that journalists have been denied entry to courtrooms to cover proceedings, instead forcing them to rely on information provided to them by the public relations officer of the Kerala high court,“ WAN-IFRA president Tomas Brunegard and World Editors Forum president Marcelo Rech stated in the joint letter.

The organization also called for a thorough investigation into the violence directed at the journalists.

However, a press note released by the High Court administration on Friday denies any restriction on media persons.

The letter, duly signed by Registrar General Ashok Menon, clarified that there was no restriction in the entry of journalists to any court in the state. 

It added that attempts to dissolve the issues between the journalists and members of the bar are in progress.